Weeding and pruning instrument



' Aug.1o1926. v

1,595,584 T. J. s'rUMP 1 WEEDING AND PRUNING INSTRUMENT Filed August 18 1925 ATTORNEY Parenfeaug. 1o, 1926. i

UNITED `srATiazs' :mons J. arm, or ASHLAND Grrr, TENNESSEE y 1,595,584 .PATENT QFFICE.

y wnnnme am) Paume application mea august 1a, 1925. sei-131 1ra-51,069.

l This invention relates to hand instruments used for cutting weeds and grass and small shrubbery and vines and for pruning Vshrubs and trees.

`, The object of the invention is to prof ig. 4 is a section on the line, 4 4, of F ig. '3, illustrating a modification;v

Fig. 5 is a section on the line, 5-5, of

Fi .,2, looking toward the right; I

other for adjustment ,ofl the` tension. The left hand end of the member, 1E1, bears against the arm, B. A screw, E, extends horizontally through the arm, B, and into the member, B1, whereby said member is firmly bound to the arm, BJ The right4 .hand end of the member, E, bears against the arm, B1, and a screw, E3,`extends hor-l izontally through the arm, B1, and intol the member, E, and binds said member firmly to said arm. In Fig. 5, the member', E, bears against the lower end of the handle, A, andthe ferrule, A1,`r which surrounds the lower end of the handle. From near'the inner end of the screw, Eafthe member, E, is slotted to its free end in an upright plane. vThe member, is ysimilarly slotted from near the inner end of the screw, E, inthe same uprightfplane. 'A screw, A2, extends ig. 6 is a view similar to 5, thenupward through a washer, A, and through the slots Iin the members, E and E1, and

structure being slightly modified.

Referring to`said drawings, A is a Wooden. handle. B 'is a. wooden arm. B1 is the other wooden arm. `This is preferably l shorter than the arm, B, as lshown in Fig.

1. -The upper ends of these arms are secured to approximately the Lmiddle of the handle by bolts, B1, extendin transversely Vthrough the arms'and the han le. The arms l are preferably flexible and they diverge as shown by Fig. 1, to separate the lower ends a distance equallin'g thelength of the blade,

C, which has its ends joined to the lower ends of thevarms. The.blade, C, is ofaI 85 goed quality of metal and has i-ts side edges, J1, formed for cutting. A width of an inch lor an -inch and a quarter will answer` for this blade. The lower end of each arm,

B and 1B1, is surrounded b a sleeve or 40 ferrule, C. The lower end o each arm and each ferrule is slanted cross-wise to meety the horizontal face of the blade. Ateach end of .the blade, one or more screws, D,

extend upward throu h a washer and'the blade and into the ad]acent arm. Thus the ends of the blade are firmly attached to the ends of the arms. Fig. 4, shows two rsuch screws placed side-by-side. Other figures shown only one such screw.- t 1 The blade is thin and flexible and is laced undertension by the arms, B and B1. o produce and maintain tension, spreading members, E and E1, are ap lied to the lower end of the handle, A, an to the arms, B and B1. These spreading members over-la each other and may be moved pon eac into. the lower end ofthe handle, A. lBy driving that screw upward, the members, Y.E and E1, are pressed against each other and the member, E, is boundagainst the I handle, A, and the ferrule, A1. side of vthe screw,-A, a small bolt, E, ex-

tends throu h a washer, E, and the slotsy in the mem ers, E and E1, and a washer, E", resting on the upper face of the member, E. By tightening these bolts, the memeach other. When these bolts and the screw, A, have been loosened, the arms, B and B1, maybe forced apart adjacent these spreading members, whereby the tension on ythe blade, C, is increased. Then said bolts and the screw, A1, are ain made ti ht to hold thespreading mem rs, E and 1,* in the new position.y

In Fig. )6, the spreading members 'are formed and arranged the same as in Fig. 5, excepting that the slot of'the member, E1,

begins between the left hand bolt, E1., and

the screw, A1, whereby the lower art of the bolt, E, is seated in solid w It will be observed that these spreading `members are laced hi h enough to'form an open'space a ve the lade for the passing of grass and weeds and parts of shrubs and trees cut oii' while pruning. This space is desirable.

In addition tol serving for spreading, the members, E and E1, serve as a means for securing the lower end of the handle, A, whereby the handle is given a second at- At each f bers, E and E1,.are still further bound to Y arms and the spreadinor erator to cut with the blade parallel to the ground without it bein vnecessary for him to lean uncomfortably ar forward to liold `the instrument in the upright position.

The blade is preferably provided with the two cutting edges, C1, C1, as above described, in order that the operator ma cut by swinging the instrument in eit er direc'- tion.

It maybe said that the handle and the members together `constitute a fra-me for lxolding the cutting blade, C, the frame being adjustable for applying tension to the `cutting blade.

' 'lhe adjusting of the spreading members may be facilitated-by iirst easing the bolts',

B2, which secure the arms to the handle. This allows easy s reading of the arms at "the spreading members.l When, the spread ing members have been adjusted and again secured to `each other by their bolts and screw, the bolts, B2, are to be again tightened, whereby the adjacent ends ot the arms are again drawn against the handle. That gives the a a tilting movement tending to separate their lower ends. Thereby the cutting blade is pnt under more tension. l

It is to be observed that the cutting blade is so shaped and so supported as to adapt it tobe held slanting relative to thecourse ot the stroke made for cutting, whereby theblade maires a slanting or shaving cut. This, movement is best suited itor edective cutting. lurthermordfthe two cutting edges and the sha e ot the blade'and the manner ot supporting it adapt the instrument tor cutvI ting in two directions. For example; if vthe instrument is swung toward the lett tor cutting grass or weeds, it may also be made to cut while being swung back toward the might, the cutting being equally effective in both directions. L. 'v

I claim as my invention,

l. In an instrument ot the lnnd described, the combination of a cutting blade, a handie, .two arms placed atopp'osite sidesy oil the handle and each Alnivingone end secured to the handle betweenthe ends of the handle,

and spreading means located between the' and to the handles and seciired thereto and to the 'lower end of the handle, substantiallyras described. y

2. In an instrument of the kind described, the lcombination of a cutting blade, a handle, two arms placed at opposite sides of the vhandle and each having oney end secured to the handle between the ends of the handle, and spreading means located between the handles and secured thereto and to the lower end of the handle and comprising a plurality ofmembers movable relatively to each other, substantially as described.

3. In an instrument of the kind described, the combination of a cutting blade, a handle, -two arms placed at opposite sides of the handle and each having one end se-V cured Ato the handle between the ends of the-handle, spreading located between the handles and comprising two over-lap ing members movable upon each other and) secured to the arms, and means forsecuring said members to each other, substantially as described.

4. In an instrument of vthe kind described,

the combination of a cutting blade, a handle, two arms placed at opposite sides of the handle and each having one end secured tok y'the handle Kbetween the ends of the handle, s reading means secured between thehanes and comprisingtwo over-lapping members movable upon each other, andv means for securing the lspreadin means to the arms and to the lower endL Jsubstantially as described.

5. In'an instrument of the kind described, the combination foi a cutting blade, a handle, two arms placed at'opposite sides of the handleA and .each having one end secured to the handle between the endso the handle, spreadingmeans located vbetween the handles and comprising two over-lapping andv slotted members, and means for securing said members to each other and tothe arms, substantially as'describe'd. y

6. In an instrument of the laind described, the combination of a cutting blade, a handle, two arms placed at' opposite sides of the handle and each having' one end secured to ithe handle bebveen the` ends of the handle,

.et and comprising two.' overlapping and slotted` members, and means for securing said members to each other andA to the .arms

handle, substantially as described. v

In tastierino? whereof I have signed my name, this l tb da of Au, in the year onefthousand te undred d twentynra.

omiso. s 1r. c

of the handle, p

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reng me nslocated .between the han- 4 

